HomeMedical SpecialtiesDiagnosticSunnybrook takes first human images taken on MR-Linac

Sunnybrook takes first human images taken on MR-Linac

Published on

By Alexis Dobranowski

 

Sunnybrook’s radiation and clinical trials teams took a huge leap forward in February when they took the first human images on the Odette Cancer Centre’s new MR-Linac – the Elekta Unity.

The new technology is the first machine in the world to combine radiation and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and will let doctors at the Odette Cancer Centre target tumours and monitor their response to radiation with unprecedented precision — even as a tumour moves inside the body — thanks to the machine’s real-time MRI guidance.

As the first Canadian centre to install an MR-Linac, Sunnybrook’s team is leading the way and helping to set up and conduct clinical trials that will establish the best treatment protocols for this new machine.

The first step is an imaging study that began in February. Study participants will have their imaging and treatment as usual, and then will undergo an extra MRI on this new machine. The imaging study aims to establish the MR (magnetic resonance) scan protocols that will be used to treat patients on the MR-Linac, explained Dr. Claire McCann, medical physicist and lead of the imaging study.

“We will use the images in our study to help us develop procedures to allow us to adapt a patient’s radiation treatment to changes in the tumour that may occur over time,” she said.

Currently, a patient has a CT image taken before radiation. That image is used to plan the patient’s treatment, like where to aim the radiation beam. For some patients, we also get a single MR image, which helps us with this radiation planning.

“With our new MR-Linac, we will be able to get MR images before every radiation treatment,” said radiation oncologist Dr. Arjun Sahgal, clinical director of the MR-Linac. “Those MR images will be used to help us ensure the most accurate treatment based on the tumours specific location each and every day. These images will also allow us to monitor how the tumour responds and determine the best way to adapt the treatment to those changes in real time.”

Images taken during the imaging study will help the team develop the clinical workflows – procedures and processes for how they manage any tumour changes, to ensure the most effective way to adapt the patient’s treatment.

Anatomical imaging lets the team see the tumour’s anatomy. Functional imaging looks at biological changes, for example changes in tumour blood flow as a result of radiation treatment.

“As our experience with this technology develops, we will add functional imaging to supplement the anatomical imaging, which will allow us to adapt radiation treatment not only to changes in tumour size, shape and location but based on biological response to the radiation as well,” Dr. McCann says.

Once the combined MR-Linac system receives full Health Canada approval, clinical trials will begin where patients will be treated with this technology using the imaging parameters and workflow developed as part of this imaging study for MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy.

Alexis Dobranowski is a Communications Advisor at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

 

Latest articles

Pharmacy is everywhere healthcare happens: a new era for pharmacy professionals

You can find pharmacy anywhere healthcare happens.  It’s easy to picture the pharmacist behind a...

Pharmacy professional collaboration in motion in air and on ground, wherever care goes

With a mandate to deliver life-saving critical care transport to over 14 million patients...

Pharmacy without walls: Redefining acute care with hospital at home

Hospital at Home (HaH) at Island Health is an innovative model that delivers acute-level...

England’s diabetes prevention program as blueprint for Canada

Canada can learn from England’s successful diabetes prevention program to build its own programs...

More like this

Pharmacy without walls: Redefining acute care with hospital at home

Hospital at Home (HaH) at Island Health is an innovative model that delivers acute-level...

Study identifies new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders

A seminal study from researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai...

Stroke protection and brain health

Every day, millions of people worry about losing their memory, having a stroke, or...

HHS pharmacy sets national benchmark: First-ever delivery of groundbreaking $4.5M Hemophilia B treatment

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) outpatient pharmacy recently made history by becoming the first in...

Canada is facing a grief crisis — A new national strategy

Canadian Grief Alliance calls for urgent action to fix Canada’s broken grief support system...

A decade of seizures ends for patient after new donor-funded epilepsy procedure

With a 50-60 per cent success rate in curing epilepsy, this advanced procedure is...